We all have faced gas pain – it’s very uncomfortable and unwanted. Gas pain can be extremely uncomfortable, and more for babies. All babies have gas pain and they pass gas often during the day – it is a common occurrence in babies.
If your baby has gas pain, he/she can’t tell it of course, but you can see other signs that might help you understand whether he/she is gassy. If the baby becomes restless, cries a lot, or has trouble falling asleep, chances are he/she might be experiencing gas pain. If your baby has gas pain and he/she is fussy a lot, it may be because of gas.
Check here how you can prevent and treat gas in babies:
Maintain Proper Position While Feeding Your Baby
While breastfeeding, keep the baby’s head and neck at an angle so that they are higher than the tummy. This makes sure that the milk goes down to their tummy and the air comes up. The same applies while bottle feeding. Also, tip the bottle such that the air rises to the top and doesn’t accumulate near the nipple.
Gentle massage
This is one of the best ways that we take when we want to relieve gas pain in babies. The circular motion on the baby’s tummy with your palms can help settle the aching nerves and muscles of the tummy. Massaging gently in circular motion, around the naval area of your baby’s tummy and also massaging from the chin down to the lower portion of the abdomen brings relief. All this needs to be done gently without pressure on the baby’s body.
Try the Feed and Burp Rule
Mostly, babies experience gas pain because of swallowing air while feeding. To prevent excess air ingestion by the baby, take a break every 5 minutes or so while feeding your baby and gently tap his back to help him burp. This will allow the milk to settle in his stomach and the gas to bubble up.
Encourage outdoor activities
Just as we tend to go for a stroll after having heavy food, children also will be relieved of gas pain if activities like walking and running without any twists are included in their daily lives. Active children have fewer gas related incidents. If your baby has not yet mastered walking, you can take both his legs and gently move them in circular motions or cycle them between feeds. Encourage your baby to do a lot of activities. This will encourage food to move from the digestive tract.
Include more fibers in your baby’s diet
Fibre rich foods improve digestion and keep things moving through the intestines. It also prevents constipation in babies which can be another cause for gas. Berries, green vegetables, squash, celery, pulses, and wheat are some of the fibre-rich foods that should be included in a child’s diet. Breastfeeding moms should have fibre rich food to help their baby benefit from it. Fibre rich diet will help the child keep his system clean.
Asafoetida Powder
Asafetida or heeng is a best home remedy for gas pain in babies. You can mix the ‘hing’ powder in water to make a paste and apply it around (not inside) the child’s naval. Ensure that the child is lying in a horizontal position while you do so. You can also mix hing powder with olive oil or mustard oil and massage the baby’s abdominal area with it for some time. These remedies are known to provide relief.
Keep your child more hydrated
The digestive system works best when the body receives enough water and liquid. Having your child drink up fluids can not only relieve constipation but also is one of the best remedies for gas pains. Make sure your child drinks enough water during the day. If your child is not fond of plain water, make him drink up juices, or flavoured water- flavour it with lemon and orange slices. Warm water, mixed with little honey is also a good remedy to relieve gas pain in babies.
Warm compress
This is an ancient method which brings immediate relief to gas pains. You can place a warm, not hot, compressor like a towel or a handkerchief on your baby’s tummy. Soak a towel in warm water, wring it completely and place it on the tummy near the naval area. The warmth makes the gas move and pass down. When the compressor cools down, repeat the process. Do it 3-4 times until the gas has been released. Never use hot water bottles on a baby’s tummy.
What You Can Do to Prevent Gas Problems in Your Baby?
Prevention is better than cure so if you don’t want to see your baby suffering from gas pain, be careful when you breastfeed or bottle-feed him/her. In your nursing phase, avoid eating certain foods that cause gas such as dry fish and prawns, spicy meat dishes, nuts, pulses, milk products, and vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, etc. If your lil one has started on solids, make sure that the foods you give to him/her do not cause gas.
Make sure that your baby gets some tummy time daily. Make your baby lie down on his stomach for a few minutes. The gentle pressure on the tummy will help him/her pass the gas comfortably and also strengthen his back and neck muscles. Play with your baby. This will help in consolidating gas in their system and passing it out easily.
When Should You Call a Doctor?
If your baby cries for long periods of time and shows unusual behaviour coupled with fever, vomiting, prolonged crying and poor feeding, it’s best that you consult your doctor.
As your baby won’t be able to communicate that he/she has gas pain, it is important that you take note of the signs. The gas build-up, while common, can be troublesome if not taken care of and could cause severe discomfort and pain for the baby. So be prepared for everything and take good care of your lil one.
I hope this article was helpful for you to understand the gas problem in your babies and If you still have any queries, write to us in the comment section below. Our experts will try to clear them as soon as possible. For more such articles, keep visiting our website.